Toy Review: Aquabeads Stitch Keychain Craft Kit *

Toy Review: Aquabeads Stitch Keychain Craft Kit

[Ad-gifted] This was our first time playing with Aquabeads, and now I’m not sure why I haven’t bought them before! My almost five-year-old daughter loves anything creative and adores Lilo & Stitch, so the Aquabeads Stitch Keychain Craft Kit was the perfect introduction to Aquabeads.

Aquabeads is the original water-activated bead craft, and this kit includes 700 colourful beads, layout tray, sprayer, keychain attachments, keychain straps, and template sheet with instructions. Following the template sheet, you place the beads onto the tray to create several cute designs, such as sunglasses, ukulele, and pineapple, including two Stitch designs that can be turned into keychains. Using the sprayer, you simply spray water onto the beads to make them magically stick together.

The craft kit is aimed at kids aged four plus, and it not suitable for children under age three due to its small parts.

What we thought of the Aquabeads Stitch Keychain Craft Kit

Jemma loves the Aquabeads! She opted to make the ice cream cone first, which I think was a good call as a warm up to the larger Stitch designs. The layout tray is placed over the template – I put a couple of bits of Blu Tack on the tray to hold it in place once I’d lined it up over the design.

The template sheet shows you which beads, and how many, are needed for each design. I would say the most time consuming and fiddly bit is sorting through the beads to source the right ones. We used some little plastic tubs to separate the beads into the ones we needed. Looking at the Aquabeads website, you can also buy a beginners carry case which means you can store all your coloured beads separately – I think this might be our next purchase!

It’s a craft that requires concentration and a steady hand, so is a great toy for improving focus and fine motor skills. Jemma found the beads easier to manage than I did with her tiny fingers and excellent eyesight!

Jemma found the little spray bottle a little tricky for her to use, though she gave it her best shot. So I helped to spray her finished design. The instructions recommend leaving to dry (and stick) for at least one hour, but preferably overnight. Having created a few of the designs now, I would definitely suggest overnight for the best results.

Jemma loved the finished look of the Stitch design and especially that it could be transformed into a keychain – though the plastic is quite flimsy, so we’ve hung it up on her craft desk rather than risking it being lost by using it as a bag charm.

My tired ‘mum eyes’ found the Stitch one a bit challenging with its various shades of blue bead! And I think having completed a few of the designs, Jemma prefers the smaller designs too. Though this may change as we become more expert at Aquabeads. Overall, a great craft toy that we will definitely buy more of.

Where can you buy the Aquabeads Stitch Keychain Craft Kit ?

You can buy it from Amazon, and it costs £14.99. Do check the website for the latest price as this might change.

About Aquabeads

First created in 2004, Aquabeads is now loved by children in over 40 countries and regions. Aquabeads is the original water stick bead toy that does not require ironing or stitching.

Review by Danielle Booker

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* We were sent the toy in return for a review. All opinions are our own.